Aru, Jammu and Kashmir

Aru known as Adu in Kashmiri, is a village, tourist spot in the Anantnag District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies 53km from Anantnag city, the district headquarter. It is located around 12 km from Pahalgam, 11 km upstream from the Lidder River. Noted for its scenic meadows, lakes and mountains, it is a base camp for trekking to the Kolhoi Glacier, Tarsar Lake, Marsar and Herbaghwan Lake. The village lies on the left bank of the Aru river, which is a tributary of the Lidder river.^[5] Jammu & Kashmir’s biggest Fodder Seed Product Station is also located in the Aru village.

Aru
Village
View of Aru Valley, Pahalgam in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Aru Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Aru Show map of India
Coordinates: 34°5′27″N 75°15′48″E / 34.09083°N 75.26333°E / 34.09083; 75.26333
Country	India
State	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Anantnag
Community development block in India	Khoviripora (Pahalgam)
Elevation ^[1]	2,414 m (7,920 ft)
Languages
• Official	Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Dogri, English^[2]^[3]
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Postal Index Number	192126
Census code	00222700^[4]

Tourism

The Aru valley is noted for its scenic meadows.^[6][7] It is popular among the tourists for its natural environment and scenery.^{[citation needed]}

The village is a base camp for trekkers to the Kolahoi Glacier, the Tarsar-Marsar lakes and the Katrinag valley. It is also a base for the treks to Lidderwat, the Vishansar-Kishansar lakes and Kangan.^[1] The Kolahoi is the largest glacier in the Kashmir Valley, and is located near Mt. Kolahoi (5425m), the highest peak in the Valley. A number of hotels, restaurants and huts are available for boarding and lodging.

There are about 20 alpine lakes, peaks and meadows around the Aru Valley. In the winters, when Aru receives heavy snowfall, skiing and heliskiing are practiced. Other tourist activities include fishing of trout in the Lidder river, trekking, hiking, horse riding, sightseeing and photography.

Overa-Aru Biosphere Reserve

The Overa-Aru Biosphere Reserve is located 76 km from the state capital Srinagar. It has the status of a Wildlife sanctuary, and is spread over an area of 511 km².^[8] The altitude ranges from 3000 to 5425 m above the sea level.^[9] It is known for several rare and endangered species.^[6]

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  Entrance to Aru Village
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  Landscape at Aru Valley
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References

1. M.S. Kohli (1 April 2004). Mountains of India: Tourism, Adventure, Pilgrimage. Indus Publishing. p. 205–. ISBN 978-81-7387-135-1. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
2. "The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
3. . Rising Kashmir. 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
4. (PDF). J&K Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
5. Sharad Singh Negi (1991). Himalayan Rivers, Lakes, and Glaciers. Indus Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 978-81-85182-61-2. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
6. . Anantnag District Administration. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
7. Parvéz Dewân (15 January 2004). Parvéz Dewân's Jammû, Kashmîr, and Ladâkh: Kashmîr. Manas Publications. p. 149. ISBN 978-81-7049-179-8.
8. (PDF). Directorate of Environment & Remote Sensing. March 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
9. (PDF). www.jkwildlife.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.